Wordle has been purchased by The New York Times
Wordle2, the most popular online word game around right now, has been purchased by The New York Times, the company said Monday, adding that it paid "in the low seven figures" for the game.
Wordle is a daily word puzzle that's taken the internet by storm. It has millions of daily users, according to The New York Times. As a daily word game, Wordle also competes with The New York Times crossword.
Wordle creator Josh Wardle said his "game has gotten bigger than I ever imagined" and added he's "just one person."
"It is important to me that, as Wordle grows, it continues to provide a great experience to everyone," Wardle tweeted. "Given this, I am incredibly pleased to announce that I've reached an agreement with The New York Times for them to take over running Wordle going forward."
Read more: Wordle explained: Everything you need to know
Wardle reassured players that the game will remain free and that he's working with The Times to make sure game streaks are preserved in the move of ownership.
The New York Times said its existing games were played more than 500 million times last year, with 1 million Games subscriptions as of December 2021.
"The Times looks to entertain more solvers with puzzles every day, especially during these anxious times," the company said in a statement Monday. "Wordle will be free to play for new and existing players, and no changes will be made to its gameplay."
Wordle features a new five-letter word every day that you get six guesses to get right. Boxes will turn yellow if you guess the right letter but in the wrong spot, or green for the right letter in the right spot. Gray boxes mean the letter isn't in the word at all.
